


Baked Alaska

by EveningRose



Category: Scorpion (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, Just a little sweet, post 3x03
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-02
Updated: 2016-12-02
Packaged: 2018-09-03 19:35:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8727553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EveningRose/pseuds/EveningRose
Summary: Walter can't stop dreaming about dancing with Paige. It would be a problem if he didn't greatly enjoy it. He also can't stop thinking about baked Alaska, which is a little more troubling. Set post 3x03, semi canon.





	

It was illogical how attracted to Paige he was.

Walter had tried calculations to determine the causes of it – and it was definitely not the perfect symmetry of her face. That didn’t hinder his attraction to her, but it wasn’t the cause.

He could still remember saying that after their last kiss. It was ridiculous how scrambled she could make him feel, throwing him off balance with the smallest action. Walter O’Brien had always considered himself a little more steadfast than that.

He was sitting at his desk trying to ignore Tim sitting with her, their heads close together as they talked - a task made easier by his crippling headache from lack of sleep the night prior.

Walter didn’t dream much – and he very rarely paid attention to them. But he could remember last night’s dream vividly.

He had been standing opposite Paige on a dancefloor, and she had been wearing the same dress as the night that they’d danced at the art fundraiser two years ago. The black dress swept the floor but split to show her legs – it was also illogical how good her legs looked in absolutely everything – and clung to her figure in the most flattering ways. Paige had a phenomenal figure, Walter could acknowledge that. He may be emotionally stunted, but he could recognise beauty and physical attractiveness when he saw it. To say that Paige possessed it all would be an understatement. He couldn’t even begin to quantify her beauty.

They moved towards each other at the same time, hands extending and sliding into place as they stepped together. Her breath was on his neck as she turned to whisper how much his dancing had changed, and he pulled her closer. They danced and twirled, bodies moving together perfectly, the way he wished they had at the fundraiser. Except in the dream he didn’t have to prolong the dance, it wasn’t necessary to restart a device in order to get more time with Paige.  They danced for hours, her skin warm against his as she let her head rest on his shoulder, her nose brushing his neck as he kept up the steps and dipped her, their lips so close that their breath mingled.

He had woken up with a jolt, lying on his side with his arms curled around a pillow. With a sigh, he rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling, doing multiplication tables in his head. He was somewhere in the ten thousands when he had fallen back to sleep, his alarm going off an hour later.

It had taken three cups of coffee and a dose of aspirin to bring his headache down to its currently unbearable level. He was sheltering in paperwork, and had waved Cabe off when he had come over to enquire if Walter was okay. Toby had given him a questioning look but kept his distance, weary of dealing with Walter when he was in a snappy mood.

For once, it was a good thing they didn’t have any cases today. He didn’t think he could manage to keep on top of everything out on the field, collaborate with the team and try to deal with Tim being helpful while Walter struggled to think past the pounding in his head.

Toby and Happy were arguing about whether it would be more effective to get information out of someone with Toby’s psych degree or having Happy hit them with a wrench, and Sly was sleeving some new cards at his desk, quietly humming to himself.

Finishing off his paperwork, Walter waited until Paige and Tim had gone to lunch before leaving it on her desk and retreating upstairs to his room, instructing Cabe and Toby to interrupt him only if needed. He threw himself into unsolved equations, and it was only when Sly came up to invite him out for dinner that he realised that six hours had passed.

 Paige, Cabe and Tim had already left – Walter could barely remember Cabe sticking his head in the door and saying goodbye – and Happy and Toby were packing up for the night. Glad that the garage was finally quiet again, and that his headache had dissipated, Walter enjoyed the next few hours of debating and problem solving with Sly as they ate their burgers.

After they parted ways, Walter worked on some code in the garage before he finally conceded to his exhaustion, crawling into bed. If he dreamed that night, he didn’t remember it.

The next couple of days passed without incident, Walter throwing himself into work to avoid seeing Tim and Paige walk into the garage each morning, and staying close on their cases. It was irritating seeing Tim standing with his hand on Paige’s lower back while they were addressed as a group, but he missed the way that Paige stepped forward and away from Tim’s hand as Walter had focussed elsewhere. When Tim announced that he would be gone for a few days due to commitments, Walter was a little bit pleased. A workplace without their relationship to deal with was much more bearable, but he would miss his new found companion.

The days without Tim passed uneventfully, the case they landed spanning the entirety of them. They travelled to various fields and weather towers to meet with the scientists, going over the calculations and trajectory of the weather data balloons to make sure that maximum data collection could be achieved, while designing devices that could withstand the local birds of prey trying to attack them.

As they stood atop a particularly tall tower, looking across a grassy field, Paige was all Walter could look at. She looked stunning against the backdrop, and when she tilted her head back to enjoy the sun and laughed at a sarcastic comment that Happy made, Walter was captivated. Toby nudged him hard in the ribs, and Cabe gave him a quizzical look as he awkwardly stumbled back into the conversation, answering the question the scientist asked.

“You okay kid?” Cabe drew close after the scientist left, thanking them for their assistance.

“Fine. Thank you.” Walter brushed him off

“Alright. I’ll go check on Sly.” Cabe motioned downstairs, pointing at the car that Sly was sitting next to finishing up calculations on his laptop.

“Enjoying the view?” Toby leaned close, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

“Yes, the flora is quite spectacular at this time of year.”

“Come on, Walt. We know you’re not looking at that.”

“Leave him alone, jerk.” Happy came up, dragging Toby away by the arm as he protested. The sound of their playful bickering echoed as they made their way down the stairs, and Paige sighed as she turned her head over her shoulder to look at him.

“They never stop.” She smiled.

“I was against it at first, but the two of them have a harmonious balance.” Walter replied, moving a little closer.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Paige sighed, turning her head to look back out at the fields.

“Yes, the view is stunning.” Walter said looking at Paige as the light breeze tugged at her hair, making it dance.

“We should join the rest of the team.” Paige steps away from the railing and the view, and Walter nods as he follows her down the stairs.

\--

Two days later, they’re crowded around the bench getting a briefing from Cabe regarding their latest case – to lay a trap for bank thieves – when Sylvester raises a hand.

“You don’t need to do that, Sly.” Cabe sighs.

“Sorry. I was just wondering, where’s Tim? He was meant to be back by now.”

Toby peers at Paige as she shifts on the spot, and Walter realises that it’s been four days since he was meant to come back.

“He’s been delayed a little longer. I’ll let him know that you miss him.” Cabe chuckles, and Happy laughs.

The next day, Tim comes into the garage. But something is off, and he seems different. Cabe gathers them to the kitchen, and Tim stands next to him.

“I’ve got an announcement to make.”

“You’re pregnant?” Toby asks, deadpan and Cabe snorts.

“If he eats like you, Toby, you’ll have matching food babies.” Cabe comments and Tim ignores Toby’s outraged gasp as he continues.

“I’ve been reassigned to another area, and as such am leaving Scorpion.” There’s silence as the team all process the information, and Toby looks at Paige.

“Does that mean you’re leaving too?”

Walter feels his stomach drop – not again. He would have hoped that if what Toby was saying is true that Paige would give them notice. Sylvester will have a melt-down at this sudden amount of large change; in fact Walter can already see him wringing his hands nervously.

“No, I’m staying. Tim and I are parting as friends.”

“You’re doing one last case with us, right?” Sylvester queries, and Cabe nods.

Once they’re done for the day the whole team goes to Kevelsky’s for dinner to see Tim off. They finish up and pay the bills, then stand outside as Tim lingers by his car.

“Good luck, dude.” Happy goes to shake Tim’s hand and turns it into a rare hug, Toby and Sylvester saying their goodbyes after.

“It was really good working with you. If you ever need anything from us just call, we’d be happy to help. Your presence will be missed.” Walter shakes his hand, and Cabe gives a stern nod.

“Thanks, Walter. You too.”

Paige gives him a kiss on the cheek and Ralph shakes his hand before Cabe claps him on the shoulder.

“I’ll see you around kid.”

“Most likely. Maybe we’ll even cross paths on a mission of yours. Good luck, guys. Scorpion is great.” Tim gives them a wave before he heads off to his car. And then he’s gone.

Paige is silent the entire walk back to the garage, despite the questions Walter can hear Toby muttering at her. She’s quieter for the next three days, and Walter gives her space.

\--

He was dreaming again, the colours and surroundings incredibly vivid and real as Paige took his hand and held on tightly. He pulled her across the dance floor and into his arms, their eyes meeting for a fleeting second before he twirled her, enjoying the smile that lit up her face.

“Let’s go to dinner.” Paige whispered in his ear as they spun.

“I could make you something. I know you like it when people make personal gestures.”

“Would you?”

“I can make baked Alaska.” He dipped her, letting his lips graze her throat as he pulled them back up.

“That sounds delicious.”

“It’s the most scientifically interesting dessert.” Walter paused, their dance stopping as he furrowed his brow and thought.

“Can you show me how to make it?” she asked, and he felt déjà vu sweep through him.

The wind pushed against the windows outside, rattling one of the doors and Walter woke up, lying on his back and covered in sweat. Pushing the covers off him, he sat up, rubbing his temples. He couldn’t figure out where he had heard Paige say that before, and it bothered him. Gulping down some water from the glass next to his bed, he flopped back down. Tim talked about food a lot; perhaps Walter had stored Paige’s response. He could just imagine them in the kitchen together, Tim standing behind Paige and guiding her as they cosied up. He felt sick, and incredibly annoyed.

It was four thirty in the morning but the genius was wide awake, thoughts of Tim and Paige together making it difficult to concentrate when mixed with the real feeling of having Paige in his arms as they danced.

He couldn’t get to sleep, but he could make baked Alaska. He had been thinking about it a lot after the rocket incident, and had eaten it three times in the two weeks since from Emma’s. Pulling a clean shirt and some jeans on he grabbed his keys, heading to the always-open store.

Half an hour later he was back with all of the supplies needed to make sponge cake and three different kinds of ice-cream. Making the cake was easy; his mother had taught him and Megan how to bake when he was younger.

“It’s like chemistry, you add a certain amount of different ingredients and then heat or cool it to get a different end product.” She had told him, weighing out the flour. It had stuck, and ever since he’d been able to bake and cook – at least for himself.

He brewed himself some coffee while the cake was in the oven, and then let it steep while he wrapped a bowl in cling wrap and layered the ice-cream in before putting it into the freezer. It would only be small, perfect for two, but not a stretch for one person to eat solo.

When the sponge was done he let it cool, sitting down at the table and coding on his tablet. The sound of the door opening startled him out of his trance and he turned as he heard footsteps approaching the kitchen.

“What is that smell?” Paige muttered to herself as she walked in, pausing when she saw Walter.

“Oh, I didn’t realise you were up. Good morning.” She smiled, putting down a bag with bagels on the table.

“Morning.” Walter tilted his head, moving his tablet out of the way as she walked towards the sponge cake.

“Did you bake this?” she asked, turning to him. He looked up to meet her gaze and nodded, feeling a little awe-struck as she smiled.

“I did.”

“Walter, I had no idea you baked.”

“Well, it’s simple chemistry really.”

“I see. What are you making?”

“Just some dessert.” He turned his gaze back to the tablet, missing her raised eyebrow.

“Can I have some?” she asked, and he had to bite his lip to stop the words in his brain from tumbling out. Of course she could have some, he made it for her. He knew that logically, making Baked Alaska for Paige would kick start their relationship. He remembered what Cabe had said – that he couldn’t give her what she needed. But he still wanted it.

Even though his latest dreams had been confusing, they had been ridiculously pleasant. Uninterrupted time with Paige in a setting where he appeared as smooth and calm as he would like to be around her was a blessing. In reality, his heart had started pounding and he was pretty sure he could feel heat rising up his neck as he became flustered. Toby would laugh at him, spotting the signs immediately. Sylvester would sympathise.

“It’s not done yet.” Was what Walter managed to reply, busying himself with deleting a line of redundant code.

“Well, have some bagels if you’d like. I got heaps.”

“Thanks.” He picked through the bag, finding one he wanted.

“You’re up early. It’s six-thirty and you’re already drinking coffee.” She commented, sitting down across from him and he paused, setting down his tablet.

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“You’ve been a bit distant lately.” Paige muttered, staring down at her nails. He looked up at her, wishing that this was a dream where he could express himself well, and where he could tell her how he feels.

It’s so difficult looking at her, seeing her so happy and knowing that he can’t tell her how he feels. He remembers their first attempt at a kiss, the awkward conversation afterwards. He had been going to say that they should test the theory by conducting the experiment multiple times, and asking if she would kiss him again but she had bolted off outside.

“Caught up in work.” Walter realises there’s been a long silence and she’s looking at him, expecting an answer.

“Just don’t overwork yourself too much, the team needs you.” She stands up, putting a hand on his shoulder and squeezing it before she walks out of the kitchen.

Walter stares after her, watching her walk over to her desk and wishes that he’d admitted it was because he couldn’t stop dreaming about her.

Instead, he rises and checks the sponge cake. It’s cooled enough, so he cuts it through the middle, slices it in half and presses it into the bowl with the ice-cream, covering the whole thing in cling wrap before putting it back in the freezer.

Half of the sponge is left, and he spreads Nutella, cream and peanut butter over it, sprinkling the top layer with icing sugar as he looks at his creation. Without processing what he’s doing he pours a coffee, puts a slice of cake on a plate and is carrying it over to Paige’s desk.

He almost chickens out when she turns at his footsteps, her eyes growing wide.

“I’ve got leftover cake, if you wanted some.”

“Thanks. I’ll go grab some later.” She goes to spin her chair, until he puts the plate and mug down on her desk.

“No need.”

“Oh, you got this for me?” Paige asks, and he nods.

“Coffee too.” He steps back from her desk, and she smiles.

“Thanks, Walter. This is a fantastic sign that your EQ is improving.” She teases, and he smiles back at her. It would be so easy to tell her now, that he only does this to make her smile, to make her happy.

The moment is ruined by Toby and Happy coming into the garage, followed by Toby’s shriek.

“Is that cake? Where’s my cake?!”

“Morning Walt, Paige.” Happy raises her hand in greeting as she lets her bag full of tools fall to the floor.

“It’s in the kitchen.” Walter goes to get his mug of coffee and tablet and retreats to his desk, watching over the rim of his mug as Paige takes a bite of cake and makes a pleased sound in the back of her throat.

It’s illogical why that sound makes his mouth go dry, but it does.

“You ate half the cake? What a fatty.” Toby snipes as he moves past Walter to his desk.

“If I didn’t make that cake, you wouldn’t be eating it.” Walter shoots back.

“Oh, baking now are we?” Toby settles his gaze on him, and Walter shakes his head.

“Don’t apply any more meaning to that than there needs to be. I felt like making something.”

“Something that conveniently made Paige smile at you?” Toby grins.

If only he knew, Walter thinks. Luckily for him, Toby doesn’t check the freezer.

“That was purely a bonus.” Walter hisses back. Cabe and Sylvester’s entrance is spectacular timing, and they’re followed by a member of Homeland who briefs them about their required task – securing files on a large server that has lost power.

The task takes all day, discovering that someone had cut the supply to the servers through a bug planted. They review the footage and Cabe catches the culprit when he tries to run. When they get back to the garage Toby and Happy dash off, claiming too tired to deal with paperwork, and Sylvester and Cabe take Ralph to the local pizza place to strategise over Sly’s campaign and celebrate the end of the week.

Walter fills in his paper work and reports quickly, approaching Paige’s desk as she sighs and presses her hands over her eyes.

“Everything alright?” Walter dares to ask, setting the paperwork in her in tray.

“Yes. I just wish Toby and Happy would give me their paperwork on the actual week of the case. I have to fill in certain reports to Homeland at the end of every Friday, and I have to improvise their comments this week as they haven’t given me anything back this week.”

“I’ll talk to them.”

“Thanks. You know, I’m really hungry. Maybe I should have gone with Ralph, Cabe and Sly if not just for the pizza.” Paige drops a hand to press against her stomach.

“You can go if you’d like.” Walter suggests, putting his hands into his pockets.

“It’s fine. I want to finish this. I’ll get food later.” Paige replies, picking up her pen and grabbing another stack of papers.

Walter tells himself that it’s not at all romantic or thoughtful that he moves into the back of the garage and calls the same pizza place to order two pizza’s, one of which he happens to know is Paige’s favourite. It’s just being kind.

He uses a mixer to make the meringue and takes the two-thirds made Baked Alaska out, turning it out onto a baking tray. He covers the cake in the meringue and puts it back into the freezer just as someone knocks at the door, hopefully the pizza delivery.

He dashes to the front door, stepping outside before Paige can even get up from her desk.

“Two pizza’s for Walter?” the delivery boy asks, and after checking the order Walter hands over the cash and tip before heading back inside. Paige is absorbed in paper work, but her head shoots up when she smells the pizza.

“You got pizza?” she whispers, watching him walk towards her with the two boxes.

“I thought it would be a logical idea, yes.” Walter sets down a box on the corner of her desk.

“What a genius idea. Thank you, Walter.” She laughs.

“You’re welcome.” he turns to walk away her hand shoots out to grab his wrist.

“Stay. Let’s eat together.”

“Wouldn’t my presence interrupt and distract you from your paperwork, therefore reducing efficiency and increasing time spent here?” Walter asked, his fingers running over the spot where hers had been moments before.

“I’d prefer that than eating alone while you sit on the other side of the room, or upstairs.”

“Alright.” Walter drags a chair over to Paige’s desk while she stacks up the paperwork and puts it aside, and when she opens up the lid of her pizza box she inhales a sharp, excited breath.

“You ordered my favourite. How did you know?”

“Ralph mentioned it before he left.” Walter shrugs, and she grins.

“Thank you, Walter. This is amazing.” She grabs a slice and starts eating, and he follows. It takes little time for them to demolish their pizza, both of them starving after the day. They talk about work, discussing funny or awkward moments that happened this week, including Happy dropping a wrench on a Senator’s foot and Toby trying to diagnose Cabe with body envy.

Paige insists on cleaning up, so she takes the boxes to the bin as Walter gets up and washes his hands. She joins him at the sink, her hip bumping against his as she leans over to turn on the tap.

“Thanks for dinner. And for the company.”

“No problem.”

“I’ll get back to my paperwork; let me know if you need anything.” Paige moved away, going back to her desk.

Walter looked after her for a minute before checking on the baked Alaska – it had been an hour since he put it in the freezer, and it required two minimum. He made his way over to his desk and started working on his coding from the morning, keeping an eye on the time. It was only six already, but it felt later and he dragged himself out of coding when the clock hit seven.

He went into the kitchen and got a glass of water, aware that he’d been so absorbed in coding that he hadn’t touched fluids in an hour. A glance at Paige informed him that she had done the same, and without realising it he was putting a glass of water down on her desk.

“Thanks.” She grabbed it and gulped half of it down, licking her lips. He tried not to stare, but it was difficult. He remembered how soft and warm those lips could be.

Toby would be positively chortling if he were here, so Walter just smiles and shuffles off to the kitchen, pre-setting the oven. It’s not long before he’s moving the baking tray with the baked Alaska onto it out of the freezer and into the oven, watching as he timed using his watch.

He’s pulling it out of the oven a minute later, the top all golden brown. Perfect. He’s standing in front of it admiring how well it’s turned out when he hears footsteps behind him coming into the kitchen.

“Is that the mystery dessert from earlier? Smells good.” Paige hums, and Walter turns to her.

“It is.”

“What is it?”

“Baked Alaska.” Walter steps aside to show her, and she stares at it.

“Baked Alaska?” she asks, her voice a little high as he nods.

“Do you want to try some?” he asks, and she looks up to meet his eyes.

“That would be great.” She accepts the fork he’s offering her, sits down next to him, and uses it to section off a slice.

“Delicious. You are a fantastic baker.” She says as he sections off his own bit, enjoying the way the warm meringue mixes with the ice-cream.

“It is the most scientifically interesting dessert.”

 “Can you show me how to make it?” she asks, putting her hand over her mouth a second later. He laughs nervously but stops when he sees the expression on her face.

“What’s wrong?”

“I have to tell you something. About the rocket.” She puts down her fork and takes a breath in, and Walter feels like he’s swimming under water. It’s like her request is spinning around in his head, so familiar.

“You’ve asked me that before. Toby told me I was hallucinating in the rocket, but I was speaking to you and that you managed to get me to pull the lever. That’s all he said.” Walter sets his fork on the table with a clunk, and Paige reaches a hand out and then snatches it back.

“I’m sorry. You were talking about baked Alaska. I was desperate to get you home, so I asked you if you could show me how to make it. Just us, back here at the garage.” She whispers.

“Is that all I said?” Walter meets her eyes, and she shakes her head.

“Toby said I shouldn’t push. I don’t want to push you.”

“Did what I say make you uncomfortable?” Walter asks, hoping that it didn’t.

“Not at all.” Paige meets his gaze, and he nods slowly.

“I suppose the rest will come back soon.”

“Walter? Are you mad?”

“I’m not mad. I’m just relieved that my dreams weren’t completely—“

“Your dreams?” Paige squeaks, and Walter looks at her. He’s said something he hasn’t, but he can’t take it back. Logically, there isn’t anything bad that can occur from explaining.

“Well, I’ve been having dreams about us having conversations about baked Alaska.” He smiles. Bending the truth a little now won’t do any harm, and he’d rather get back in that rocket than admit to her he’s been dreaming about dancing with, and being close to her.

“Will you?” Paige asks, picking up her fork as she gets some more, and Walter frowns.

“Will I what?”

“Show me how to make it?”

“I’d love to.” He smiles, and she shuffles a little closer and lets her side press against his.

They eat the rest slowly as Walter explains the process roughly, and Walter doesn’t think he’s ever enjoyed eating baked Alaska this much before. It’s much better than his dreams.

She kisses him on the cheek as she thanks him for the night, leaving to go and pick up Ralph. She promises a visit on the weekend with Ralph, and a chance for them to talk about anything he remembers between then and now.

“You need some time to process everything. I don’t want to hurt you.” She says to him, and he nods.

It’s frustrating, but she’s right.

This time, when he dreams of them dancing, he savours it.

**Author's Note:**

> And thus wraps up my first Scorpion fic! I've been sitting on this for ages, trying to get the interactions right and make it flow. I hope you all enjoyed it. This is basically how I wish Walter and Paige would stop shoving their feelings down and pretending they don't want to make out in the garage caravan like teenagers.


End file.
